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IMAX shows why its 4K camera could get you watching 3D movies again

Is 3D video on the decline, destined to return to the realm of novelty? Not if you ask IMAX. The company has just detailed a large-format 4K camera that could give 3D movies a (frankly needed) visual boost. The trick, the company says, is that the camera is fully integrated; since it doesn't need a beam splitter and separate lenses, it can stay compact while maintaining IMAX's dramatic 1.9:1 aspect ratio. That portability (less than half the weight of rivals) allows for fast-action shots that would otherwise be off-limits. The camera also saves video from just before the operator hits the record button, so documentary makers shouldn't miss unexpected moments.

If you're curious to see whether these grand-scale visuals are worth watching, you won't have to wait long. Explosion-loving director Michael Bay has already used IMAX's rig to shoot Transformers: Age of Extinction, and the nature doc Island of Lemurs: Madagascar also makes use of the technology. The new hardware won't make up for any lackluster storylines, but it might get you to splurge on a 3D viewing when you're otherwise on the fence.